Dine at the Sequoia Diner and snack on Peter’s Kettle Corn; shop locally at Beast Oakland or browse Vista Madera’s horsey shelves; and explore the Laurel Art Garden or take a class at The Taoist Center.

After just four months on the job, Mayor Trish Herrera Spencer has encountered growing pains. Some opponents from her six years on the Alameda school board are champing at the bit to capitalize on her transition to the mayor’s office, drawing attention to her perceived missteps and the ineffectiveness of her laissez-faire management style.

A bustling economy and a budget surplus won’t change the four-day work week that city workers and Millennials favor—at least for now, though the city manager and new mayor won’t rule out the possibility.